OK, I am back to using this picture again,
but how can you blame me!
From the start I admit that I don’t deserve the life I have been granted. I, as all others, have sinned and fallen short of God’s plan for me, but He loves me, as He does others, and plans to redeem us so we don’t have to go to hell eternally nor live “hell” here.
The little lady in my arms pictured above is a year older than when this picture was taken. She is now “talking – sorta”, walking, using her imagination to play and make things, and asserting her very real personality. She has loving parents, a big brother, and two sets of God-fearing grandparents, all of whom are crazy about her. She has great potential for her future, and she is also bright, happy, and very engaging.
As the rest of us, she will have to deal with her sin nature. Yes, that is what I said. As sweet as she is and as much as she is loved by us and by God, there will come a time when she must decide to whom her life will be dedicated-to her own happiness, to God’s plan and will, to the plans others make for her, etc. She will have to choose life or death, and I know God wants her to choose life; so do we. There are no guarantees that will force her to make th wise choices.
Ever heard the expression “Crime doesn’t pay”? Well, we know that isn’t always the case. At times it pays big time! We know of people who cheat, lie, steal, and commit all kinds of sins against God, but it seems they don’t have any bad consequences. Wait a minute! We aren’t the only ones who’ve wondered why that happens and why bad people sometimes seem to get all the breaks. Read Psalm 73:3, 17-20, or the entire chapter if you have time, and see if you identify with the conflict David had. The little lady above will probably wrestle with this dilemma too.
The problem is perspective.
And you may say, “well don’t start talking about the idea that they will one day pay for their sins in hell.” Truth is they may end up in hell, but it won’t be to pay for their sins. They, nor we, could ever pay for sin. Sin requires a sacrifice and the spilling of blood. That is what Jesus did. His blood spilled on Calvary’s cross paid my sin debt, yours, and theirs. The issue is rather have we received His sacrifice as payment for our sin. God has purchased our forgiveness with the death of His own Son, but we must receive the gift by faith trusting Him to apply Jesus’ blood for our sin payment. We must be born again.(John 3:3; Romans 10:8-11; I Corinthians 15:1-7)
Then there’s this! I know this is not a universal application of truth, but how many of the “sinful, God-denying people” you know or with whom you are familiar are filled with love and lavished with wonderful relationships with family and friends? Most of the God-deniers I have known or studied have lots of toys but few joys. They have lots but are lost. They don’t know that God’s love will carry them, secure their future, and bring them into peace with Himself and with others.
Following Jesus by living a godly life brings the fruit of a life well-lived, a heart well-loved, and relationships deeply rooted to withstand the storms that inevitably come. God grants us security and stability when we live loved by Him. We have a friend who “sticks closer than a brother” in Jesus who comes to live inside us and promises never to leave us. Finally, we belong to someone stable and caring.
My prayer for you is that you will stop and consider Jesus, answer God’s call to faith, believe the Gospel, and receive Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and eternal life. That is my prayer for the little girl in my arms, as well.